Samsung Galaxy S6 Active vs. S8 Active: A Rugged Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active edges out the S6 Active thanks to its significantly more powerful Snapdragon 835 chipset, improved camera, and slightly better overall performance. While both offer rugged durability, the S8 Active represents a worthwhile upgrade.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S6 active | Samsung Galaxy S8 Active |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - AT&T |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 29, 40 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - AT&T |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat6 300/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| - | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 41 - Sprint | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2015, June. Released 2015, June | 2017, August. Released 2017, August |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 146.8 x 73.4 x 8.6 mm (5.78 x 2.89 x 0.34 in) | 151.9 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.98 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 170 g (6.00 oz) | 208.1 g (7.34 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) MIL-STD-810G compliant salt, dust, humidity, rain, vibration, solar radiation, transport and thermal shock resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) MIL-STD-810G compliant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~576 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~568 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.1 inches, 71.7 cm2 (~66.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 85.4 cm2 (~75.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| - | 3D Touch (home button only) Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.1 GHz Cortex-A57 & 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) |
| Chipset | Exynos 7420 Octa (14 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-T760MP8 | Adreno 540 |
| OS | Android 5.0.2 (Lollipop), upgradable to 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), TouchWiz UI | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), One UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 3GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 2.0 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/1.9, 28mm (wide), 1/2.6", 1.12µm, AF | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., OIS, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF 2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera) |
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, f/1.9, 22mm (wide) | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.1, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate |
| ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation | Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 15W wired Wireless (Qi) (market dependent) | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless |
| Music play | Up to 57 h | Up to 113 h |
| Stand-by | Up to 504 h (3G) | Up to 120 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 24 h (3G) | Up to 32 h (3G) |
| Type | Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | White, Gray | Meteor Gray, Tungsten Gold |
| Models | SM-G890A | SM-G892A, SM-G892U |
| Price | About 350 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| SAR | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.48 W/kg (head) 0.42 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise - 92.4 / Crosstalk - 91.4 |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 109h | Endurance rating 111h |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 70dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 78dB |
| Performance | - | GeekBench: 6314 (v4.4) GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S6 active
- Extremely durable
- Water and dust resistant (IP68)
- Removable battery (S6 Active)
- Good value for budget users
- Outdated processor
- Lower resolution display
- Inferior camera
- Limited software updates
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
- Powerful Snapdragon 835 processor
- Superior camera quality
- Higher resolution display
- More modern design
- Wireless charging
- Non-removable battery
- Potentially higher price (depending on availability)
Display Comparison
The S8 Active boasts a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display with a higher resolution (2960 x 1440) compared to the S6 Active's 5.1-inch Super AMOLED (2560 x 1440). This results in a sharper, more vibrant visual experience on the S8 Active. Both have Gorilla Glass protection, but the S8 Active's is a newer generation.
Camera Comparison
The S8 Active features a 12MP dual-pixel camera with a wider aperture (f/1.7) and improved image stabilization, resulting in better low-light performance and sharper photos. The S6 Active has a 16MP camera, but its image quality is noticeably inferior, especially in challenging lighting conditions. The S8 Active also has a front-facing camera, which the S6 Active lacks.
Performance
The Snapdragon 835 in the S8 Active is a substantial upgrade over the Exynos 7420 in the S6 Active. Expect noticeably faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the S8 Active. The 10nm process of the 835 also contributes to improved power efficiency.
Battery Life
Both phones have similar endurance ratings (109h vs 111h), suggesting comparable battery life in typical usage. However, the S8 Active's more efficient Snapdragon 835 chipset may provide slightly longer real-world battery life despite the similar capacity.
Buying Guide
The Galaxy S6 Active is a good option for budget-conscious users who prioritize extreme durability and don't need cutting-edge performance. The Galaxy S8 Active is ideal for those seeking a balance of ruggedness, performance, and a better camera experience, willing to spend a bit more.